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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25904629">Street Trash</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/WasteTimeandType/pseuds/WasteTimeandType'>WasteTimeandType</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Street Trash [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: Legend of Korra</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Family, Gen, gen - Freeform, sort of like oneshots, unfinished story</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 12:48:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,832</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25904629</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/WasteTimeandType/pseuds/WasteTimeandType</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Life is not easy when you're growing and trying to be yourself, and it's just made harder when you're labelled street trash- but Bolin tries to maintain optimistic, because that's Bolin's way. </p><p>Brief snapshots of Bolin's life from before the series.</p><p>Previously deleted from AO3, re-upload. Oneshot collection, 3 chapters, unfinished and complete.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bolin &amp; Mako (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Street Trash [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1879954</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Mako + Bolin Gen and Family Fic</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hey! I deleted this fic in 2018 because it was meant to be a weekly project, my laptop broke, and so it killed my interest in the project even after I got a new one. I felt bad that I didn't continue it so I deleted it.</p><p>However now I don't see a reason to have these deleted, even if it is unfinished. I still/might/ continue these, and add when I feel like it instead of trying to make a weekly project. I'll leave this completed once I upload all three chapters however.</p><p>This was meant to follow Bolin until the end of book 4, so it was going to be pre-canon and gap filler, but as it stands it's just his childhood.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bolin watched as his brother created a small fire in the palms of his hand. He giggled. Bolin loved the way the flames danced in his brother's hands-- he could trace the flames with his eyes for hours.</p><p>This was just something Mako could do. His father said that since he could move rocks sometimes like he could Bolin was the same as Mako, but with the earth. But earth was boring- and couldn't be used indoors. And Mako was older-at seven- and could do more than Bolin could. Bolin was only five, and though that was one whole hand of fingers, it meant that he didn't have as much practice. "Makoooo, make it bigger."</p><p>Mako shook his head. "I'm not meant to be making flames inside the house," Mako hissed, but he continued with his small fire that lit up their shared bedroom. It was late- they were both meant to be in bed- but Bolin couldn't sleep so he woke his brother and begged him to entertain him.</p><p>"But you are! Bigger!" Bolin cried, and Mako shushed him, but grew the flames anyway, and grinned at Bolin's beaming smile. Bolin loved the way they look, warm and dancing and flickering. It was certainly fascinating- and he loved that his brother could create such a thing.</p><p>"You two boys!" broke the awe that Bolin had been enveloped in as he jumped back from his mother's voice, as she stood there looking into their room, and she flicked the lights on. "Mako, I expected better of you! You need to be more responsible with your younger brother!"</p><p>"Yes Mom," Mako mumbled, having stood up to face the fury looking at the floor, shuffling awkwardly. Bolin hated that he'd got his brother into trouble, but Bolin wasn't going to take any blame, so he buried himself into the covers to hide away from the stern telling-off.</p><p>"Bolin," his mother said, and she pulled him gently up from the covers, and she only sighed at his pouting face, "if you want to see Mako firebend, then you can do it outside or when one of us are around. Don't pester Mako at night."</p><p>Their father passed by and then leant on the side of their doorway. "Ah, just let the children sleep. We'll talk about it tomorrow." He said, and Naoki nodded before kissing them gently on the head. San walked into their room and ruffled both of their hair, before also gently laying a kiss on both of their heads. Naoki sighed as the two sheepishly crawled back into their covers, but San merely smiled. "Okay boys, goodnight," he said, and they nodded and turned off their room. They shut the door and turned off the lights, and Bolin shifted underneath his covers.</p><p>"Sorry Mako," he mumbled, looking over in the dark to where his brother's bed is situated.</p><p>"Doesn't matter," Mako replied, before Bolin saw his brother light up by an orange glow- he had started a tiny fire in the palm of his hand, and grinned slightly towards his brother before he snuffed it out and rolled over to sleep.</p><p>Bolin smiled and wrapped himself into his bed, his mind lulled by the memories of the warm, glowing flames.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>There were three few things that Bolin knew for certain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One, he was an earthbender. He knew because he was starting to get really good, and that’s what his earthbending teacher said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Two, his family loved him. His parents told him nearly everyday, and though Mako sometimes got annoyed with him, he was never mean.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Three, he enjoyed making others laugh and that also made him feel happy. Sometimes Mako would be in a sulk so Bolin would prod him until he laughed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At six years old, Bolin knows these things and life is fairly simple. He isn’t sure why sometimes Mako says that Mommy and Daddy are arguing about money or that sometimes Bolin sees an adult crying in public and doesn’t know </span>
  <em>
    <span>why, </span>
  </em>
  <span>or that their parents warn them to never go out alone without an adult supervising them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everything is fine. Everything has a rhythm. He’s started school, and he’s going to very basic earthbending classes. He’s learning how to bend. Soon he'll be able to impress Mako with his own bending. He could even hold a boulder </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But then Mako arrives to pick him up from earthbending for beginners classes with a police officer in tow.</span>
</p><p>Bolin frowned. Sometimes Mako picked him up, but never alone.</p><p>
  <span>“Where’s Mom and Dad?” He asked, and Mako just flinched. His eyes looked red, like he had been crying.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on son, let’s take you to the police station.” The policeman said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is something wrong?” His earthbending teacher, Gi, asked, her tone hushed as she looked over to the officer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s hard to explain, if we could have him somewhere private.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gi moved them to the small courtyard at the back of the training centre, where the officer explained that his parents weren’t coming back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bolin, they’re gone,” the Officer said. “I’m sorry. If your brother and yourself will come with me, we’re taking you to an orphanage-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>No</span>
  </em>
  <span>, I want Mommy and Daddy,” he wailed, not understanding. </span>
  <em>
    <span>The orphanage?</span>
  </em>
  <span> He knew what an orphanage was, they sometimes appeared in stories that his father read aloud to him every night. Kids who didn’t have parents went there. He turned to Mako, who hadn’t said anything. “Mako, I don’t get it,” he said, twisting his shirt in his hands, “where's Mommy and Daddy?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re dead,” Mako mumbled, looking at the ground. Bolin felt his heart twist in fear. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Dead.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Bolin had a bird that flew over to their windowsill every day, until one day it sat on the windowsill and flopped to the ground and wouldn’t move again. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Sometimes things die when its their time to go</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Mom had explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dead things don’t get back up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The officer sighed. “Boys, come with me.” He said, and he guided the boys out of the small earthbending teachers office.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mako, why are Mom and Dad… dead?” he asked in the car journey, again, and his brother didn’t say anything. “Mako!” he asked, but his brother was continuing to look at the floor, twisting his hands in his shirt and then staring at them, as if they were diseased. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mako!” he cried, as he tugged at his brother, but Mako didn’t reply, and brushed him off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The tears started to fall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They pull up at a large grey building, very tall with small windows in neat rows lining the face of it. In the darkening sky, Bolin thought it looked creepy, and he shivered as the officer guided them to the orphanage  He pulled at Mako’s hand again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mako pulled away, and Bolini started to sob.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A careworker greeted them, no smile present, and then led them through to a large dormitory. They were shown a small room with other beds, with other children bouncing about, and the orphanage head looked over to them. She led them to an empty bunk bed, and gestured that this was for them. “Food is at eight, one and six everyday. If you’re late you won’t get fed. You are expected to help participate in the chores like everyone else.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bolin tried to remember all of this, but he was slightly stunned. This morning he said goodbye to his parents and went to school. Now he didn’t have any and he was living somewhere new.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were given an apple and a bowl of cold rice porridge before bed, having missed dinner. Bolin laid on the bottom bunk and he sobbed openly, his food untouched.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>This was all so confusing.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Can someone get the new kid to shut up!?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt a hard prod on his cheek and he opened his eyes and looked up to see a slightly older kid to stand there. “Toughen up, baby, no crying. It’s annoying you’re gonna to keep us up. So shut up, or you’re going to sleep outside tonight“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bolin whimpered, sitting up but flinching away from the invasive prodding, and the kid huffed. “Did you hear what I said!?” he said, and Bolin hated this. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He hated everything</span>
  </em>
  <span>, the noise, this kid, the scratchy sheets, the leaky roof, his silent brother and the fact that his parents were not coming back. It was overwhelming and enveloping and Bolin felt so small and lost amongst the peering and glaring eyes of the other orphans.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>New-kid,</span>
  </em>
  <span>” he heard the prodder say in a menacing voice, “stop crying, or I’ll give you something proper to cry about.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Leave him alone!” Bolin heard his brother shout, and Mako jumped down from the top bunk, and gave the other boy a hard shove. It was the most Mako had said all evening.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get him to </span>
  <em>
    <span>shut up</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” the older boy hissed at him, but he didn’t encroach upon Bolin again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bolin,” Mako said quietly, and crawled into bed next to him. “I- don’t cry, I’m here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bolin sniffed, eyes watering, as he looked at his brother. “Promise? You won’t go away?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mako nodded, holding him close, and wiping the tears away. “I promise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mako drew the blanket over them both, and nodded. “I promise,” his brother repeated.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The morning after they arrived at the orphanage, Bolin managed to pry out of Mako what happened to his parents. Sort of.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Someone had surprised Mako and his parents after they went for a small local grocery shop. They took their father’s wallet and his mother’s jewellery, and left a stunned eight year old boy in their wake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bolin didn’t understand, </span>
  <em>
    <span>didn't this person have their own wallet and jewellery? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Mako had said he wasn’t going to talk about it anymore so Bolin left it at that. Bolin didn’t really want to think about it either, so he squeezed his eyes shut and pretended there weren't tears forming.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bolin was at the orphanage for two days, getting used to the routine they had there, before he was bundled out of the door on the third morning along with his brother. One of the workers for the orphanage put him into smarter clothes and brushed his hair, before giving him a sympathetic smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They watched as there was a small funeral for his parents, as his parents urns were buried. It was a small, low-cost funeral, as their parents hadn’t any assets nor any family around to contact. It was attended by a general civil servant who officiate the funeral rites, with a police officer who watched over the case.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bolin just looked at his brother, who squeezed his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This was really it. Bolin could feel the tears roll down his face. “I don’t like it.” Bolin said quietly. “Why did this happen?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… don’t know.” Mako said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And that was that. That was the send-off Bolin’s parents got. Standing over a small plot of land, where they were marked with a basic wooden marker; a small collection of mourners and a light drizzle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In only a few days, Bolin’s life had changed, but he felt the comforting squeeze of his brother's hand again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Things were strange and confusing right now, but he still had his brother.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Bolin didn’t like the orphanage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was cramped and they weren’t allowed to shower at night- it had to be in the morning, and ater was often cold. The bread was stale.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bolin was enrolled int eh classes there, but he liked his old class better. Mako also looked miserable.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mako had been doing his cleaning chores away from Bolin, who ate his small cookie on his bed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re adorable. I’m sure you’ll get adopted straight away.” One of the older kids said to him in their room. She was tall and lanky, a young teenager most likely, with unkempt hair and wicked grin. She was leaving against the wall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She </span>
  <em>
    <span>definitely</span>
  </em>
  <span> wasn’t meant to be here, since this was the boys room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bolin shook his head. “I don’t wanna be adopted.” He said, as his parents flashed into his mind. He wanted to cry. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Adoption is the point here, kid. What are you, stupid?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bolin felt angry. “No! I have my brother Mako.” He said. “He’s a firebender and he’s great and he’s going to protect me. I don’t need new parents.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is he </span>
  <em>
    <span>actually</span>
  </em>
  <span> your brother?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bolin looked alarmed. “Yes! My Mom and Dad had me and my brother.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The kid raised her hands up. “I’m just saying, some of the kids here form different kinds of relationships with the other. Ya know, no matter what they bend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But my Mom was a firebender and Dad was an earthbender.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I get it. But the orphanage doesn't care. You’re cute, you’ll be adopted by some nice earthbending family.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bolin stilled. “But Mako won’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kid- my names, Ho-Sook, by the way,- this is an adoption farm. Chuck them in, hope they get adopted. More that get adopted, less mouths to feed and it looks good to the gov’. They don’t care about families here. Neither do adopters. Most only bend one element if they do at all and they ain’t gonna pick two. Maybe Mako’ll get adopted by a nice firebender family.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bolin stilled. “N-no, he won’t leave me. He promised.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ho-Sook snorted. “I’m just a messenger. I see many kids run away, why do you think there’s not many older kids? Most have scrammed by the age of ten. I’m just checking myself in, will be out in a few days after I get a good meal or two.” She looked at him. “I haven’t seen my little brother in two years.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bolin felt something stir inside of him. He wasn’t going to be taken away from Mako.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eventually Ho-Sook departed after Bolin’s stony silence, and Mako returned to an oddly pensive Bolin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stumbled through what Ho-Sook told him. Mako looked upset, but he didn't immediately say anything.  Mako looked for Ho-Sook, and eventually he returned, the same serious face he’d held on his face since they’d arrived.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wished Mako would smile again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>We’re not being separated,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Mako stated, and that night Mako left the bedroom to rifle through the stores, coming back with as much fruit and bread as they could carry and then put it into a small refuse </span>
  <span>bag. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mom and Dad want us to stay together,” Mako said with determination as he looked to Bolin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They put their shoes on, and then left the orphanage. A few of the kids watched them go with mild interest, the ones left behind had nothing to lose by staying, or they'd leave and return when they pleased.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bolin doesn’t look back as they slipped away from the gates. He looked ahead, keeping up with his brother, running through the town.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It began to drizzle with rain, and the elation wore off as Bolin began to feel pretty miserable as they drew themselves further and further into the city. Bolin heard the sound of a rat scurrying across the alleyways.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll stop here for the night,” Mako said when they reached an underpass beneath a bridge, and Bolin nodded as he huddled against the stone wall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bolin hated the damp feeling of the clothes against his skin, so he pulled at his brother closer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mako, can’t you warm us up?” Bolin said, tugging at Mako’s hands as they huddle in the alley.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mako looked away, pensive and agitated, and Bolin wondered what was wrong. “Mako, can’t you make flames?” he asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mako shook his head. “No, Bolin,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bolin pouted. “Why not? I’m cooooold.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mako didn't meet Bolin's eyes, as he wringed his hands together. “It was… a firebender…” Bolin heard Mako day, his voice hushed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The person who took Mom and Dad away from us,” Mako mumbled. His brother continued to stare at his hands, and shrugged away from Bolin’s grasping hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bolin started to understand, at least a little. Mako was sad that he was a firebender, when the person who hurt Mom and Dad was also a firebender.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He took his brother’s hands anyway. “I don’t care. Your hands were always nice and warm,” Bolin said, and he rubbed the firebenders hands together. Part of it is because he wanted to feel warm, but part of him wanted Mako to stop looking so sad. "I like your fire. It's so cool!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bolin didn’t know how to make things better, but he could try.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mako sent a look that Bolin didn’t really understand, but he smiled a little and produced a few small, flickering flames to warm themselves up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bolin cuddled up to his brother, enthralled in the flickering flames as his brother held him close, allowing the flames to lull him into a deep, if uncomfortable, sleep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unbeknownst to Bolin, his brother did not sleep, staring at the small flames in his hand, eyes watching the alley with cautious wait, before finally allowing himself to nod off next to his brother, his sleep disturbed and uneasy. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I feel like my writing has improved since 2018.</p><p>I'll likely backdate this to 2018 after a week or so.</p><p>Anyway my other fic 'Sparks' was meant to be canon with this verse, but I'd consider these separate works now.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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